This Hot Honey Hummus starts with canned chickpeas (we love keeping things as easy as possible) plus a simple tip that means an ultra smooth and creamy dip without needing to peel chickpea skins. The sweet heat from the hot honey is a fun little twist on a classic appetizer, and it is perfect scooped up with warm pita, crunchy veggies, or crackers.
We have mastered the art of sweet heat in this collection of 30+ hot honey recipes with many appetizers, snacks, and easy handheld bites that work for just about any occasion.
No boring hummus here! This Hot Honey Hummus gets its touch of sweetness along with a hint of heat from hot honey. Add in a hint of smokiness from smoked paprika, and it's officially a crave-worthy condiment.
The texture is just right with a simple trick I learned from Cookie and Kate, which is to boil your can of chickpeas for a bit. It is the easiest way to avoid gritty, chunky humus without the hassle or time required for dried chickpeas. Pair with easy Tzatziki Sauce and you've got two dips ready for dipping, spreading, and snacking.
Skip to:
Why this recipe made the cut
Every recipe on Borrowed Bites gets tested, re-tested, and tasted by multiple groups to ensure it's something you can be proud to serve! Here's why this one earned its spot:
- Great flavor: It seems obvious, but if it didn't taste amazing, it wouldn't have made the cut. This one delivers big flavor in every bite.
- Better than store-bought: Not that there aren't good store-bought hummus options, but this one is something special. It's a fresh, unique, and made with ingredients you actually want to put in your mouth.
- Versatile: Serve it as a weekend treat, a party appetizer, or as one of your new Game Day Recipes. It's so easy and delicious, you can eat it anytime!
Hot honey hummus ingredients
Exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below, but here are notes on the handful of ingredients needed.
- Garbanzo beans: Also known as chickpeas. We use canned ones to keep the prep and cooking to a minimum without sacrificing texture or flavor.
- Tahini: A sesame seed paste that's essential for a balanced, creamy hummus. Use one you really like. Our go-to is Trader Joe's since it's easy to find, but Soom is a great alternative if you need another option.
- Olive oil: Helps to create that really creamy finish plus tons of flavor.
- Hot honey: This is the sweet heat that makes this hummus recipe unique. Use a store-bought one of your preference, or try our homemade hot honey recipe for one with truly great flavor.
- Baking soda: This is the secret ingredient that softens the chickpeas for an extra smooth finish.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon adds a much needed brightness and keeps the flavors from being too heavy.
- Smoked paprika: Adds a little smokiness that complements the hot honey flavor perfectly.
- Minced garlic: Feel free to mince yourself or use a high quality pre-minced jar from the produce department.
- Salt: Kosher salt is our go-to.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make creamy hot honey hummus
This is a simple recipe with an easy step to ensure that the end result is super creamy without the hassle of cooking dried chickpeas.
Drain and rinse a can of garbanzo beans. Add the clean garbanzo beans to a small pot and cover with a couple inches of water along with the baking soda.
Leave the lid off the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to a strong simmer for 20 minutes.
Once the chickpeas are extremely tender and the skins are falling off, drain off all the liquid with a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cool water.
Place the rinsed garbanzo beans in the bowl of a food processor. Add in the tahini and blend for about 1 minute or until evenly combined. At this point it will be quite thick.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the rest of the ingredients.
Blend for 2 minutes or until creamy. If it is too thick, add in 1 tablespoon of ice cold water at a time.
To serve, pile into a serving dish, swirl the top and add a drizzle of hot honey and sprinkle of smoked paprika.
Hint: Using really cold water helps to create a light and fluffy end result. I like to put some ice cubes and cold water in a glass before starting so that if I need the water, it is ready to go.
What to serve with hummus
- Pita bread is the classic, but naan is also delicious.
- Veggies are great. Our favorites are: carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, and snap peas.
- Crackers, pretzels, or pita chips are a nice crunchy option.
- Perfect as a spread on sandwiches, wraps, or our Grilled Greek Chicken Gyros!
- Try it alongside a delicious Greek Quinoa Salad Bowl.
How to store
Store the hummus in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If you've already drizzled the hot honey on top, it may firm up, so let it sit at room temperature for a bit before serving. If you know you won't be eating it right away, I like to wait and drizzle the hot honey just before serving so there's no waiting around later.
FAQs
While there are recipes without tahini, we think tahini is a crucial ingredient in the best tasting hummus. For that reason, our answer is definitely yes.
With this cooking method you do not need to peel the chickpeas. The baking soda and additional simmer time softens the canned chickpeas to the point that they disappear.
Tips & tricks
- Measure the oil first and then the honey so the honey slides right out of the measuring cup.
- Before blending, I like to put ice cubes in a cup and fill up with cold water so that I have really cold water on hand if needed.
- The two most important ingredients in this recipe are the tahini and the hot honey. The quality of those will really determine the outcome so pick ones you enjoy.
More recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Hot Honey Humus Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon hot honey plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Add rinsed and drained chickpeas to a small saucepan. Cover with a couple inches of water. Add in baking soda. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a hard simmer for 20 minutes.1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Once the skins are falling off and the chickpeas are very tender, drain and rinse with cool water.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the chickpeas and the tahini. Blend until whipped for 1 minute or until thick but evenly combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.¼ cup tahini
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend on high for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through. Continue until light and fluffy. If it is too thick add 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until desired consistency is reached.2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon hot honey
- To serve, place in a serving dish, swirl the center and drizzle on the extra hot honey and sprinkle with smoked paprika.
Notes
- Measure the oil first and then the honey so the honey slides right out of the measuring cup.
- Before blending, I like to put ice cubes in a cup and fill up with cold water so that I have really cold water on hand if needed.
- The two most important ingredients in this recipe are the tahini and the hot honey. The quality of those will really determine the outcome so pick ones you enjoy.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Misty says
This hummus is so creamy and full of sweet and spicy flavor!